An awful lot of childrens books are utterly crap aren't they?

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Honestly, we got 15 books from the libary last week and another 20 this and about 2 of them are ok and the rest are utter drivel.

Anyone agree?

what age group?

Yes, totally agree. Have you tried 'the mole who knew it was none of his business'? Not nice...

Well dd picked a random selection from the pre school section from the library. I have an older ds too though and wasn't often much impressed by those offerings either.

Loads of them seem to be assuming children know a lot about adult motivations and stuff. Just read a shite one about a gang of cats, reckon was supposed to be Romeo and Juliet lite but goodness

The old ones are the best imo - the tiger that came to tea etc.

Yes there is an amazing amount of drivel out there.
And often they're the ones dd likes . The low point of my crap day yesterday was dd throwing a tantrum because I wouldn't read her Mr F*cking Small for the 300th time.

I often think I could write betterwithout too much effort, but then it appears it is too much effort for me to get off my fat arse and do it! My dd1 is having the most boring book available at bedtime at the moment. NO amount of my dare I say superb story telling skills can liven it up!

They are drivel. Dh was lying on the bed next to us as I read to dd just now and I threw the last one I read down in disgust, someone was PAID to write that!
The only one I liked was 'not now Bernard' But mum, a monster's going to eat me. Not now Bernard. anyway, the monster eats him, his parents don't notice. Simple but a good story.

I like not now bernard although it sends me into a bit of a guilt trip....

Hand in hand with the rise of really great picture books has been an increase in the badly drawn and written stuff.
Am a bit sad that whoever is stock-picking for your library can't tell the difference. Our local library is a crap-free zone at picture book stage, although it all comes off the rails a bit with Goosebumps later

The Mr Men books are awful IMO. Great pictures, terrible stories (we got given the entire sodding collection )

DD1(5) loves Roald Dahl, in my opinion you can't get much better than that.

oh we love Not Now Bernard (drat, should have quoted that on the other thread)

I read that for the first time in the doctor's waiting room and burst out laughing (loudly) because the end was so unexpected (after all the twee children's books that are normally around!).

yes, there's a lot of drivel but it also depends on what floats your boat - I (and the children) quite like all the dark humour ones and get very fed up with all the princess/fairy/cutesy books.

This maybe controversial and I hope to god my Dads not a mumsnetter but I really don'y rate bloomin DR Zeuss

We LOVE the mole. DS1 has memorised Dr Suess's ABC. Maybe we have low standards.
I grew up reading Dr Suess & Roald Dahl though, and have a squiffy sense of humour.
I might try & find not now bernard. Sounds good to me

A lot of adult books are crap as well.

Ah now I adore Dr Seuss, as does dd (she calls him Dr Shoes).
Not Now Bernard is a classic of the stature of The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

My bete noire(sp?) is some Winnie the Pooh board books we were given which have no rhythm and are so abbreviated they don't really make sense. I also think whoever wrote 'Guess How Much I Love You' should be strangled, but then I'm cynical.

agree, there are some awful books out there, probably all written with grants.

)but I looooveee Dr Seuss, just read Are you my mother to the girls...gotta love the snort!!)

Oops is it Suess? I think I liked it as a child but hate reading it now as I get tongue tied and seem to spit everywhere

The older books are definitely better. DD loves Where The Wild Things Are and The Elephant And The Bad Baby. We All Went On Safari is good too. I love Dr Suess and Roald Dahl too.

I liked Guess how much I love you when dd1 was little but she soon grew out of it and it

Fox In Socks is a bit of a challenge - see how far you can get without making a mistake.